Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Unforgettable! Past Review

By (Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine at Orono) - abroad from 07/03/2012 to 08/03/2012 with

USAC Costa Rica: San Ramón - Life Sciences, Spanish Language, and Culture

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I had an eye opening experience both from the classes and the culture

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Not too much information, but they didn't "dumb things down" either

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Couldn't have asked for a better host mom!

* Food:

The food alone is worth coming to Costa Rica for!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

To truly integrate yourself, it's up to YOU. You are provided with plenty of opportunities to take advantage of

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Always had a bandaid when needed

* Safety:

It's as safe as anywhere, just don't do anything foolish like walking alone at night, because although San Ramon is a safe place, you can get into trouble anywhere if you put yourself at risk. Just use common sense

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Things are cheap, so its easy to be free with your money. Just be careful

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $30 for food, movies, drinks,etc
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget and stick to it, because everything is pretty cheap it's easy to spend more money than you intended to

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Very much encouraged you, but no one got mad at you for speaking English either

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? College German (not helpful in a Spanish speaking country)
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Learn the basics BEFORE you go!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Classes
  • Feild trips
  • The Town
* What could be improved?
  • Library hours during the summer
  • more info from the school before arrival
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That my water proof camera wasn't really water proof

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Tropical marine biology
Course Department: Biology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very interesting, educational and eye opening
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Latin Dance
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Challenging but fun
Credit Transfer Issues: